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Exodus 32:1-14 Sermon Commentary
Proper 23A
What is taking God so long? There’s a whole sermon to be preached in the opening clause of this text: “When the people saw that Moses was so long in coming down the mountain…” Of course, the key theme of the text is idolatry: the making and worshiping of the golden calf by the Israelites. …
Matthew 22:1-14 Sermon Commentary
Proper 23A
This is the third parable that Jesus tells to the temple leaders after they tried to trap him in a conversation about his authority. (Remember that Jesus had cleared the temple the previous day, and the temple leaders bandied together and confronted Jesus when he came back to the temple to teach the crowd.) The…
Philippians 4:1-9 Sermon Commentary
Proper 23A
In a world that knows so little peace, this Sunday’s Epistolary Lesson’s references to “the peace of God” [eirene tou Theou]* are very attractive. In fact, preachers may want to comb media reports shortly before they preach on Philippians 4 in order to cull some contemporary examples of that lack of peace. We probably won’t…
Psalm 23 Sermon Commentary
Proper 23A
Psalm 23 bears a lot of resemblance to any number of poems in the Hebrew Psalter. This is not the only sunny-side-up psalm that exudes confidence at every turn. It is not the only psalm to use pastoral imagery or to invoke the specter of “enemies” in whose presence God will vindicate the psalmist. Yet…
Commentary posted on October 9, 2023
Proper 23A Sermon Commentary
The Proper 23A Sermon Commentaries include reflection and illustration ideas for Matthew 22:1-14 from the Lectionary Gospel; Exodus 32:1-14 from the Old Testament Lectionary; Psalm 23 from the Lectionary Psalms; and Philippians 4:1-9 from the Lectionary Epistle.
Related Reformed confession: OT Lectionary: Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 97 (Lord’s Day 35)